Know what you need to make your own pre-workout

What I need in a Pre-workout

Certain ingredients in pre-workout supplements, such as creatine, caffeine, beta-alanine, BCAAs, and nitric oxide precursors, have been shown to support athletic performance.

How I can get these ingredients

A fruit is a great choice for simple sugars that are easy to digest, this can be anything from fresh berries to canned peaches to applesauce. Bananas are also a good carb source and pack in potassium, which can help with muscle cramping. 

Lets get into the more complicated ingredients

You can get BCAAs from these foods:

• Whey, milk, and soy proteins.
• Corn.
• Beef, chicken, fish, and eggs.
• Baked beans and lima beans.
• Chickpeas.
• Lentils.
• Whole wheat.
• Brown rice.

As with the other amino acids, excellent sources of alanine include meat and poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Some protein-rich plant foods also supply alanine.

And sure to get caffeine drink a cup of coffee 60 minutes before exercising to get the best benefits from it, including:

• enhance a person’s physical performance
• boost their cognitive function
• potentially increase the amount of fat they burn

Examples for pre-workout recipes

1. Beetroot Juice

                                                                         

Ingredients

• 1 beetroot, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• A pinch of pink Himalayan salt

How To Prepare

1. Blend the beetroot and transfer it to a glass.
2. Add lime juice and pink Himalayan salt to it.
3. Stir well and drink.

Why This Works

Beetroot is one of the healthiest vegetables and loaded with nutrients. Beetroot juice contains nitrate, which improves exercise performance. Nitrate is converted into nitric oxide (NO) in the body. Nitric oxide helps in vasodilation (increases the length and width of blood vessels), improves blood flow, and increases muscle contraction. This sweet veggie provides energy and tastes great when mixed with lime juice and Himalayan salt.

2. Chia Berry Juice

 Ingredients

• ½ cup strawberries
• ½ cup blueberries
• A handful of mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds

How To Prepare

1. Toss the berries and mint leaves into a blender and blend well.
2. Pour it into a glass.
3. Add honey and chia seeds to it.
4. Stir well and drink.

Why This Works

Berries are loaded with antioxidants and contain natural sugars. The polyphenolic content of blueberries have antioxidative effects and suppress  post-exercise muscle fatigue. A study in Korea on runners showed that supplementation with blueberries increased exercise performance effectively. Chia seeds are good sources of protein and dietary fiber.

3. Cherry Lemonade

 Ingredients

• ½ cup chopped cherry
• ½ cup lime juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ¼ teaspoon fennel seed powder

How To Prepare

1. Toss the chopped cherries and a little amount of water into a blender. Blend well.
2. Pour it into a glass and add honey, lime juice, and fennel seed powder.
3. Stir well before drinking.

Why This Works

A single cup of cherries (138 g) provides many nutrients. Studies show that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of cherries may provide relief from post-exercise injury and lead to faster muscle recovery. Adding lemonade to makes it a perfect homemade pre-workout drink.

Source:https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/best-natural-energy-drinks-for-gym